Religion in Korea: Of Faith and Freedoms

Abstract

Throughout history, religion has exerted a decisive influence on political decision-making in Korea. Identifying any single religion as the principal factor shaping Korean patterns of behavior, however, is far from straightforward. Korean culture is better understood as a melting pot in which multiple religious and philosophical traditions have intermingled. Religious traditions and doctrines persist in contemporary South Korean society, while North Korean policymakers maintain that their population has chosen instead to embrace the wisdom associated with the Kim family. Confucianism is frequently said to continue to shape patterns of behavior in both North and South Korea. Other accounts emphasize the considerable influence of Christianity. North Korea’s first leader, Kim Il-sung, for example, grew up in a strictly Christian environment. In more recent years, by contrast, two South Korean presidents have been removed from office following allegations that, among other factors, excessive shamanic influence had led them to act improperly. Nor can the profound influence of Buddhism on the development of Korean culture reasonably be denied. This paper seeks to illustrate the richness of thought to which Korea’s religious and philosophical traditions have contributed.

Introduction

People visiting Seoul for the first time are often surprised by the large number of illuminated crosses visible on the buildings they pass on the way from the airport to their hotel. In a country whose religious and philosophical traditions have historically also been rooted in Buddhism, Confucianism, and shamanism, it may seem somewhat strange that Christianity holds such a strong position. Figures vary, but Christianity is the largest religion, and approximately 30 percent of South Korea’s population identify as Christian. Of the fourteen presidents who have held the highest office since the Republic of Korea was established in 1948, most have identified themselves as Christian.

In North Korea, by contrast, Christian influence is today largely nonexistent, but in the early twentieth century Pyongyang was described as the “Jerusalem of the East.” A recently published book, Jonathan Cheng’s Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea’s Personality Cult (Alfred A. Knopf, 2026), describes how the first leader of the North Korean state, Kim Il-sung, grew up in a Christian home.

Religious freedom officially exists in both South and North Korea, but in practice the differences between the two Korean states are vast. In the South, not only is Christianity strong, but Buddhism also has a conspicuous presence. Several Confucian traditions likewise remain alive. When it comes to religious influence on political decisions, however, it has been shamanic contacts that have caused problems for South Korean presidents in recent years. In the cases of both Park Geun-hye (2013–2017) and President Yoon Suk-yeol (2022–2025), the improper influence of shamans on political decision-making has been cited as one of the reasons for their removal from office. Shamans were influential in early Korean village communities, but they are usually regarded as something belonging to the past rather than to modern society. The notion that even heads of state and government in South Korea might be influenced by what many would call ancient superstitions has raised many eyebrows.